Palatine OKs plans for 7 red light cameras
If you view the rules of the road as merely suggestions, take note: You're on camera.
Seven of Palatine's busiest and most crash-prone intersections are about to be equipped with red-light cameras.
Monday, the village council unanimously approved the targeted intersections. The program got the initial go-ahead in July.
The first camera will go live within a few weeks at Plum Grove Road and Illinois Avenue. Scofflaws who doubt they deserve the $100 fine will be able to watch a video of the violation online as evidence.
Police Chief John Koziol said red-light compliance is difficult to enforce, especially under heavy traffic.
"It becomes more a problem than a solution when we pull out after a violator," he said. "And these cameras are running all night and day."
Koziol said he was encouraged by an Iowa State University study earlier this year that showed red-light cameras significantly reduced both violations and collisions, including rear-end crashes.
State law requires Palatine to put up warning signs at the intersections. The village also inserted fliers publicizing the program in water bills.
And for two weeks, offenders will receive a warning letter rather than a citation.
Palatine joins a growing list of suburbs using or planning for red-light cameras. Wood Dale, Wheeling, Rolling Meadows and Carol Stream are among the latest to launch programs.
In 2006, Chicago generated nearly $20 million in revenue from 30 cameras.
But Palatine doesn't see the program as a moneymaker and hasn't calculated a projected profit, said Assistant Village Manager Sam Trakas.
"We look at this strictly as safety enforcement," he said.
The village hired Lombard-based RedSpeed Illinois LLC to provide the cameras and the automated traffic-enforcement services that come with them.
Police review photographs before the company mails the ticket to make sure a violation occurred. Those who doubt they did wrong can watch a video of themselves online.
Palatine will pay a $1,499 monthly maintenance fee per camera, but each intersection should more than pay for itself in collected fines. RedSpeed gets a cut of the revenue.
Further details about the red-light camera program are online at palatine.il.us.
Red-lights cameras come to Palatine
In the coming weeks, cameras aimed at catching those who fail to stop at red lights will be installed at the following intersections:
• Plum Grove Road and Illinois Avenue
• Rand and Hicks roads
• Rand and Dundee Road
• Hicks and Dundee
• Algonquin and Roselle roads
• Northwest Highway and Quentin Road
• Northwest Highway and Palatine Road